Some say the Notre Dame Cathedral is the symbol of Christianity in France, and even Europe. Maybe, maybe not. The name is French for “Our lady”. The church was named after Mary, the mother of Jesus. It was built for almost two centuries between 1163 and 1345. It’s an architectural icon for its pioneering use of rib vault, flying buttress, and those huge colourful windows. Her two spires were the tallest structures in Paris until completion of Eiffel tower in 1889. During the French revolution it was desecrated and much of her religious imagery was destroyed. Interestingly Napoleon Bonaparte was coronated at the Notre Dame. That was in 1804. Two hundred years later, on April 15, 2019 the cathedral caught fire.